Cap ironer



Slpvcntor: @Resa Lttornegl MEYERS m. B

May 5, 1942. M. M. BERGER CAP IRONER Filed June 5, 1940 Patented May 5, 1942 ETE sans erreur 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a cap ironer.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a cap ironing machine so formed that workmens caps, such as are commonly Worn by various mechanics and railway employees, may be simultaneously ironed, shaped and sized With a single operation oi the machine.

A further object ci the invention is the provision of a cap ironer upon the heated cap shape blocks of which a workmans cap may be placed and which will, upon manual release of a conveniently positioned pedal, properly iron and shape a cap thereon.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cap ironer the ironing blocks of which are positioned one movable and one stationary so that a cap positioned thereon when they are in closely associated relationship will be properly sized and ironed due to a stretching action resulting from the movementl of the movable v block in relation to the stationary block.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cap ironing machine the block portions of which are suitably heated so as to eiect a rapid ironing action on caps positioned there- A still further object of the invention is the provision of a cap ironing machine provided with a plurality of cap ironing units upon which several workmens caps may be simultaneously ironed and shaped.

Specifically, the cap ironing machine is shown and described herein in its simplest form wherein a single pair of cap ironing blocks are positioned in an appropriate structure so that one of the blocks may be moved in relation to the other and wherein the movable block is under spring tension so that it normally is urged away from the stationary block except at such times as it is moved into close association therewith by the manipulation of a conveniently placed manually operated pedal. The cap ironing blocks are positioned in a cabinet structure which encloses the various levers and arms essential to the operation of the cap ironing machine and a centrifugal impeller type fan or any other form of With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that a cross sectional side elevation of the cap ironing unit has been shown wherein a frame forming a cabinet It provided with a plurality of legs Il and a top portion l2 has positioned thereon in a stationary manner a half circular heated cap block i3 the uppermost portion of which is of slightly larger diameter than the lowermost portion so that the crown of a workmans cap will iit snugly thereover. Positioned in front of the stationary cap ironing block I3 and in movable relation thereto and in movable relation to the cabinet top l2, as the same is movably positioned in an appropriately shaped opening therein, there is a matching half circular cap ironing block I4 of the same size and description as the stationary block I3 and so formed and shaped and positioned that it may be moved into closely associated relationship therewith, in order that a workmans cap may be placed over the enlarged upper portions of these blocks I3 and i4 so that the crown of the cap is lled and shaped by the enlarged upper portions of the blocks and so that the head band of the workmans cap is positioned about the neck portions of the blocks as shown in broken lines in the drawing. In order that the movably positioned cap ironing block I4 may be moved away from the stationary cap ironing block I3 it is positioned in the cabinet like frame lll by means of a supporting arm l5 which is pivoted at a point I6 to a cross member of the frame H3. Associated with this supporting arm i5 there is a plurality of links and levers as hereinafter specically described which connect it to a pedal l1 which is itself pivoted at a point i8 to the cabinet like fram-e l0. The links and levers connecting the pedal Il to the support arm l5 supporting the half circular movable cap ironing block I4 comprise a horizontal link i9 which establishes connection between a pivot 2t on the support arm l5 and a pivot 2| on the uppermost end of an L shaped lever 22 which is in turn pivoted at the junction of its arms to a cross member 23 of the cabinet like frame Il) at a point 24. A link 25 comprising a pull rod is pivoted to the shorter arm of the lever 22 at a point 26 and to the pedal I1 at a point 21 so that downward motion manually imparted to the pedal I1 results in the downward movement of the pull rod link 25 and the horizontal movement of the horizontal link I9 thus eectively moving the support arm I and its cap ironing block I4 into close association with the stationary cap ironing block I3. In order that the cap ironing machine will normally tend to suitably size and stretch the caps being ironed thereon a coil spring 28 is operatively positioned between the pedal I1 and the cross member 23 of the cabinet like frame IIJ so that the pedal is normally urged upwardly thereby thus normally urging the movable cap ironer block I4 away from the stationary cap ironer block I3.

In order that air may be introduced beneath the cap from the cabinet through the space between the ironer blocks I3 and l a fan or blower 29 is preferably positioned in the back or side wall of the cabinet I0 so that air is introduced into the cabinet and thus upwardly through the space between the ironer blocks i3 and i4 where it assists in drying the cap beingironed particularly that portion of the cap stretched between the ironer blocks. In this disclosure the blocks I3 and IG are heated by steam coils 3i) formed therein flexibly connected to steam and condensate lines 3i and 32, respectively.

In operation a machine would practically carry several of the ironer block assemblies so that a single operator could place a workmans cap on one, allow it to become stretched and the ironing action undertaken, and subsequently place caps on each of the other units of the machine returning from time to time to momentarily release the spring tension of the blocks on the caps and turn them so as to insure complete and full roundness in the inished cap and so as to insure a smooth head band iinishing operation. The cap Visors would have preferably been ironed in iiat position prior to the shaping and ironing of the band and crown portions of the cap on the.

machine herewith described.

It will thus be seen that a cap ironing machine has been designed which will eiectively size and shape workmens caps so as to impart thereto a finished and workmanlike job and which will, by reason of its sizing operation, insure the continued fit of the workmans cap as compared with the heretofore known cap ironing operations wherein the workmans caps are ironed flat with no regard to appearance and no attempt at controlling the size of the head band. It is thus obvious that an important advance in the art of laundering and ironing workmens caps has been made in the present invention. The term workmens caps is intended to include various uniform caps and uniform cap tops several of which are provided with each uniform cap, and any other form of cap commonly cleaned or laundered the sizing and shaping of which is essential to a desirable appearance.

What I claim is:

l.. A cap ironing machine comprising a cabinet like framel a heated half circular appropriately shaped block positioned thereon, an oppositely disposed matching heated half circular block movably positioned adjacent thereto by means of a support arm pivoted at its 10We1 end to a cross member of the said cabinet like frame, a pedal adapted for manual operation positioned in the said cabinet like frame and connected to the said support arm by means of suitable links and levers so that manual depression of the said pedal results in the movement of the movable half circular block into close relationship to the stationary half circular block so that a workmans cap may be positioned thereon, spring means positioned between a cross member of the said cabinet like frame and the said pedal for urging the said pedal upwardly so as to move the movable half circular block away from the stationary half circular block so that the workmans cap positioned on the said blocks will be suitably stretched and ironed thereby.

2`. A cap ironing machine comprising a cabinet like frame, a heated half circular appropriately shaped block positioned thereon, an oppositely disposed matching heated half circular block movably positioned adjacent thereto by means of a support arm pivoted at its lower end to a cross member of the said cabinet like frame, a pedal adapted for manual operation positioned in the said cabinet like frame and connected to the said support arm by means of suitable links and levers so that manual depression of the said pedal results in the movement of the movable half circular block into close relationship to the stationary half circular block so that a workmans cap may be positioned thereon, spring means positioned between a cross member of the said cabinet like frame and the said pedal for urging the said pedal upwardly so as to move the movable half circular block away from the stationary half circular block so that the workmans cap positioned thereover will be suitably stretched and ironed thereby together with a blower positioned in a wall of the said cabinet like frame adapted to move air thereinto and upwardly in under the said workmans cap so as to assist in drying the same.

3. A cap ironing machine comprising a supporting frame, a heated half-circular appropriately shaped block positioned thereon, an oppositely disposed matching heated half-circular block movably positioned adjacent thereto by means of a support member pivoted to said supporting frame, means positioned in the supporting frame and connected to the said support member so that movement may be imparted thereby to the movable half-circular block so as to move the same into close relationship to the stationary half-circular block so that a workmans cap may be positioned thereon, spring means positioned betwen the supporting frame and the said support member for urging the said movable half-circular block away from the stationary half-circular block so that the workmans cap positioned on the said block will be suitably stretched and ironed thereby.

' MEYERs M. BERGER. 

